Learn How And When To Harvest Broccoli (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to harvest broccoli? ›

Harvest broccoli in the morning, when the buds of the head are firm and tight, just before the heads flower. If you do see yellow petals, harvest immediately, as the quality will decrease rapidly. Cut heads from the plant, taking at least 6 inches of stem. Make a slanted cut on the stalk to allow water to slide away.

It generally takes around 100 days for plants to reach maturity. Though size can vary widely, a good general rule is to harvest when the heads have reached about 4 to 8 inches in diameter.

Selecting plants

For spring-planted broccoli, choose a variety with heat tolerance and a short growth cycle (50 to 60 days to harvest). Most grow best as a mid-summer planting for fall harvest.

Most varieties produce dome-shaped heads harvested when the the small buds are still tightly closed. However, if you wait too long to harvest, plant root-bound seedlings, or your garden experiences environmental conditions that affect plant growth, you'll end up with a broccoli flower.

They'll need those leaves to photosynthesize, which is how they feed themselves. Clip lower leaves on your broccoli plant first, removing them where they meet the stem by cutting or snapping. Don't tear the main stalk!

Unfortunately, once the plant has bolted the leaves will turn bitter and inedible. You need to keep an eye on your broccoli, lettuce, spinach, radishes and mustard greens. Signs of bolting to watch for: Plants start to stretch and grow upwards.

How Many Heads of Broccoli Do You Get From One Plant? It will yield one large head per plant. Once harvested, it will produce several smaller side flower heads over the next few weeks.

Broccoli leaves can be prepared the same ways as kale, Swiss chard or collard and mustard greens. Try them in soups, salads or sandwiches, or even blended into a smoothie.

If a young plant is stressed by environmental pressures, this can cause it to enter the reproductive stage prematurely. If this happens, it can grow small, button-like heads – and these will never mature into one large, tight head, resulting in the production of one or more of small “buttons.” instead.

Avoid thick, tough stems. If the flowerets are enlarged, opened, yellowish-green or wilted, then the broccoli is not fresh. Never buy broccoli that is soft or slippery. This is a sign of spoiling.

How do you harvest broccoli so it keeps producing? ›

Harvest the main broccoli head when it stops growing. You'll know broccoli heads are ready when they're deep green with small, tightly packed buds. Harvest broccoli right away if it starts to flower or turn yellow. Side shoots will continue growing after the main head is harvested.

Plant broccoli in spring or fall. Choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil. Harvest broccoli sooner by using starter plants from Bonnie Plants®. In spring, plant 2 weeks before the last frost; for a fall harvest, plant in summer once the heat subsides.

Broccoli is a cool-season vegetable. Therefore, it should be planted in cooler months of the year for the best result. The growth of the broccoli plant will get affected by the high-temperature of the summer months. The perfect time to grow broccoli in India is around September-November.

Signs To Watch For That Your Broccoli Is Starting To Bolt

This stem will grow very quickly and can become quite tall. Flowering Heads: If your broccoli heads are already quite large when the plant starts to bolt, the heads themselves will often burst forth in bright yellow blooms.

Does broccoli come back every year? Broccoli is a biennial, meaning it grows in the first year and flowers in the second year, however, broccoli plants can go to seed in the first year if they are planted in the spring. There are no varieties of broccoli that come back year after year.

The tender stems, leaves, buds, and flowers of the broccoli plant are all edible. Your bright yellow broccoli flowers are not only edible, but some people find them to be quite tasty as well, and they are sold at some high-scale markets as a delicacy.

Straw is an excellent mulch for crops that prefer cooler soil temperatures such as cabbage or broccoli, but it may slow the growth of warm season crops, such as tomatoes or melons.

Raw broccoli needs air circulation to stay fresh, so loosely cover the broccoli bunch with a plastic bag. You can poke holes in the bag or keep it open to maintain freshness. Broccoli will keep for three to five days in the crisper drawer.

If planted too close together the plants have to compete for these nutrients and therefore will not grow to their full potential. This also means that it is important to fertilize your transplants when they are planted and throughout the season.

Fertilize and water.

Broccoli is a heavy feeder. Make sure your soil is fertile enough by mixing in at least 1 inch of compost at planting time. You can also apply a high-nitrogen organic fertilizer, such as alfalfa meal or composted poultry manure, every few weeks. Provide about an inch of water weekly.

How many times can you harvest a broccoli plant? ›

How many times can broccoli be harvested? – Broccoli plants can be harvested up to three times during a three-month period. The plant first generates a huge head in the plant's center. After this primary head is removed, the plant will produce numerous smaller side heads over the next few weeks.

Tower Tip: Broccoli grows best in full sun. But partial shade can help prevent bolting in warmer months. Ready to plant? Place four to six broccoli seeds in each rockwool cube, and expect them to germinate within about a week.

Broccoli grows tall and starts to flower at maturity in order to form seeds and complete its reproductive cycle. It also happens in response to stress and extreme soil temperatures. Sometimes, broccoli will grow tall and bolt before the broccoli has a chance to form a large head.

Broccoli requires proper irrigation to achieve optimum growth. Water plants daily for the first week to get the crop established. Continue to irrigate broccoli every four to five days, as needed, to keep the plants healthy. Broccoli is a fairly heavy feeder and will require additional nutrients.

Broccoli is easy to grow and yields quickly, providing you with a delicious, nutritious crop of blue-green heads, which can be harvested from summer to autumn, depending on when you sowed the seed. Sprouting broccolis are hardy and can can be harvested from March, further extending the growing season.

The leaves taste earthy, mildly bitter, and faintly of broccoli (which means people who are usually not fond of broccoli may take a liking to the leaves). I typically don't eat the stems on larger leaves, since I find them too fibrous.

After harvest, you can soak out the broccoli worms

To draw the “broccoli worms” out of the broccoli trees, you need to soak it in a sink of cold water to which you've added 1/4 cup of salt and 2 tbsp of vinegar. You will need to keep the broccoli heads submerged in the water for at least 20 minutes.

Moreover, you should never boil cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli — not only does boiling often result in mushy and lackluster florets, it also causes the water-soluble vitamins, including vitamins C and B and folate, to leach out into the water, warns Healthline.

Are there bugs in raw broccoli? ›

Like all fresh vegetables, fresh broccoli can arrive in your kitchen carrying contaminants. These include pests like aphids, green caterpillars, and broccoli worms (a type of cabbage worm). They may also carry pesticides, which are a food safety hazard when consumed in excess.

Broccoli can only be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. The longer it's stored, the tougher the stems get and the more nutrients it loses. That's why learning what to do with broccoli post-harvest will allow you to retain maximum flavor and nutrition without wasting food.

Plant broccoli 18 to 24 inches apart in rows that are spaced 36 inches apart. Provide plenty of water during the first week to help establish plants. After establishing, provide water at least every four to five days. Watering may become more frequent as the main head of broccoli develops.

Harvesting broccoli

When planted from seed, broccoli takes around 100–150 days to be mature for harvest. From seedlings, it takes 55 to 80 days to grow. Harvest when the heads are still green and compact, before they turn yellow or start flowering.

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, kale, leeks and parsnips are hardy vegetables and will stand through the winter.

Plant your broccoli where it will get least 6 hours of sun daily and has fertile, well-drained, moist soil with plenty of organic matter. Mulch will help keep the ground cool and moist. The soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0 for best growth and to discourage clubroot disease.

Fertilization. Apply ½ cup per 10 feet of row of a nitrogen-based fertilizer (21-0-0) 4 weeks after transplanting or thinning to encourage vigorous plant growth. Apply an additional ¼ cup of nitrogen fertilizer when the broccoli head is the size of a quarter.

Even with the bright yellow flowers open, you can still harvest your broccoli. Broccoli plants are made to flower and produce seeds. The perfect time to harvest broccoli heads is when the heads are still bright green and still composed of tightly formed buds.

How Many Heads of Broccoli Do You Get From One Plant? It will yield one large head per plant. Once harvested, it will produce several smaller side flower heads over the next few weeks.

How do you store broccoli once harvested? ›

Raw broccoli needs air circulation to stay fresh, so loosely cover the broccoli bunch with a plastic bag. You can poke holes in the bag or keep it open to maintain freshness. Broccoli will keep for three to five days in the crisper drawer.

As the pods mature, or “cure,” the plant will start to die off and turn yellow or brown. The pods will become visibly plumper, similar to small bean pods, when the seeds have formed inside. Once the plant has died off and the stalks and pods appear brown, it's time to harvest!